New week, fresh insights, Reader! Stay sharp with the latest updates on AI, social media marketing, and emerging trends. Here’s what you need to know.

In today’s edition:

• Instagram posting de-coded

• Short-term vs. long-term ROI on TikTok

• Facebook Updates: Live Video Changes, Ads Features, and More

• Practical use-cases of LLMs from Andrej Karpathy

• 🗞️ Industry news from LinkedIn and Tiktok

Instagram Formats: Choose Wisely, Post Better

Are you stuck in a content rut, only posting Reels or relying too much on Stories? You might be missing out on Instagram’s full potential! 

Instagram offers four main content types, each with its own strengths: reels, single posts, stories, and carousels. 

Each content format serves a different purpose, and using the right one can boost engagement, reach, and conversions. 

How do you match your content to the best post type? Lucas O’Keefe created a simple breakdown to help. Read more here.

TikTok Research: Short-Term vs. Long-Term ROI

The Dentsu x TikTok study used Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) to analyze TikTok's ad effectiveness across 15 Nordic brands. Multiple models were used to measure both short-term sales impact (1-6 weeks) and long-term brand growth (1-10 months). TikTok's performance was compared to other media channels, and ad formats were categorized into professionally produced, UGC tactical, and UGC storytelling ads.

According to the study, TikTok ads generate an average short-term ROI of 11.8, making it one of the top-performing media channels for driving revenue. Additionally, brands reportedly continue to see benefits for 3 to 4 weeks after their ads stop running.

A significant 75% of advertisers in the study found TikTok to be their highest-returning platform, outperforming traditional digital ad channels. Read more here.

Ready to Transform Your Marketing Strategy, Reader?

Whether you're figuring out how to get more reach, exposure, and sales, or you're curious about leveraging AI tools to enhance your marketing—Social Media Marketing World is the place you want to be.

You'll learn from top experts and connect with marketers from around the world. When? March 30 - April 1, 2025.

“The speakers you chose and content that was spoken about was amazing and so diverse, couldn't have imagined anything better!” said Cindy Morgan.

Don’t be left behind. Get your All-Access Ticket today!

Discover Facebook’s new Advantage+ improvements including the new Opportunity Score, recent detailed ad targeting exclusion announcements, and an update on labeling for AI-enhanced ads. Plus, what’s happening with your Live videos and Facebook Marketplace.

Discover New Marketing Strategies From Your Comfort Zone!

Can't attend Social Media Marketing World in person this year? No problem! 

A Virtual Ticket ensures you won’t miss out on anything. It provides access to a complete library of rich, engaging recordings from every keynote, session, and workshop.

“My eyes are sore as I have watched way too many sessions today! All awesome stuff. It's like Netflix… just one more,” said virtual attendee Julia Doherty.

Secure your Virtual Ticket today and save 50%.

A Practical Hands-On Guide to LLMs in Action

Want to get the most out of multiple AI tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, NotebookLM, and Perplexity? 

Andrej Karpathy just dropped a video that breaks down the growing LLM ecosystem with real-world examples of how these models can assist with everything from simple conversations to deep research, coding, and creative work.

You'll see hands-on demonstrations of internet data analysis, AI-powered podcast creation, and image generation. The video also covers advanced features like voice interaction, image and video input/output, and custom GPTs.

If you're looking for a straightforward guide to using LLMs in your daily life, this is a must-watch! Watch more here.

LinkedIn Tests My Network Feed Tab: The platform is testing a new feature that allows users to switch to a feed that only shows updates from their first-degree connections. The experiment provides two tabs: "All" (the default current feed) and "My Network" (displaying only content from connections and followed accounts). LinkedIn has also removed the "Sort" filter on desktop for some members outside the UK, European Economic Area, and European Union to match the mobile experience. The company plans to test this multi-feed setup for five weeks before deciding on the next steps. Source: Social Media Today

TikTok Prepping to Sunset Creator Marketplace: The online platform, which connects brands with creators to collaborate on ads and other sponsorships, will stop allowing creator invitations or the creation of new campaigns as of March 1, the company says. On April 1, the Creator Marketplace will be fully shut down, and the website will redirect visitors to the new TikTok One creative platform instead. While the stand-alone marketplace is going away, TikTok will continue to offer ways for brands and creators to connect through the TikTok One platform. Ahead of the stand-alone Creator Marketplace shutdown, TikTok is encouraging advertisers to migrate their data from the site (or another dashboard called the TikTok Creative Challenge) to TikTok One. The company announced its plan to move its Creator Marketplace to TikTok One last May. Source: TechCrunch

TikTok Marketing Partners Program Content Marketing Specialty Badge: Eight industry leaders have been named as the inaugural group of badged partners: Brandwatch, Dash Hudson, Emplifi, Hootsuite, Khoros, Later, Sprinklr, and Sprout Social. The new specialty recognizes the partners' proven record of helping marketers succeed on TikTok. Brands have previously had to manually manage their digital presence across multiple platforms, leading to time-consuming processes and a lack of cross-platform insights. The new partnership specialty aims to improve advertisers' content management experience by integrating TikTok into partners' content management products. Through this integration, brands can organize, schedule, and publish content, track real time metrics, and respond to community engagement. Source: TikTok

Did You Know?

Some cacti bloom at night to avoid the heat, relying on bats for pollination because they are attracted to the sweet nectar of cactus flowers.